The company culture is the heart of the organization. Goals, processes and policies should be tied to it. So when leadership styles within the organization match that culture, success should follow, right? That’s what you would think, but an interesting study conducted by researchers from Georgia State University suggests the opposite.
The research, which was published in the June issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that CEOs who adopt a leadership style similar to the company culture actually have a negative impact on the organization’s performance. Among the 119 U.S. organizations studied, firms were most effective when CEO leadership style and organizational culture differed.
Why? Leaders who conform to the norm don’t bring anything new to the table — they aren’t innovating. But leaders can’t completely ignore established values and practices either. It’s a fine line to walk, but a leader who gets it right is more effective and brings more value to the company.
Here’s how to find that delicate balance between company culture and innovative leadership style:
Complement the culture — don’t undermine it.
Company culture defines the values of the workplace and how employees should behave. So while leaders should be innovators, they shouldn’t challenge and undermine a culture just to say the did — there needs to be a good, strategic reason in leading outside the culture.
Instead of thinking of ways to undermine the culture, look at ways to build on the business by using strategies the culture overlooks.
For example, the researchers from Georgia State University explain that company cultures tend to fall into one of two categories: task-oriented or relationship-oriented….